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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Re: Short syntax for array literals [...]
From: rasmus@lerdorf.com (Rasmus Lerdorf)

Mike wrote:
> In my opinion I don't think PHP would be where it is today if it wasn't
> for being so easy to learn and use.
> 
> I attribute this directly to the fact that it didn't use a lot of
> "syntax sugar" that is unreadable and can't be "Googled" for. You can't
> Google "[]", and my guess is searching PHP.net for "[]" won't return
> anything useful either. 
> 
> Using Array() is SELF EXPLANATORY! Anyone can see that, search Google
> for "Array" and learn something about it. 
> 
> How many man hours are going to be wasted:
> 1. Searching for what the heck [] actually is.

This "No Magic" mantra is something I have been using since day one to 
guide decisions like this in PHP.  But I think you guys are 
misappropriating it.  [] is already our array syntax.  $a[1] assumes 
that the user realize that [] has something to do with arrays.  If they 
don't, they are out of luck, because as you say, you can't search for [] 
and get something useful.  But that's already the case and we are simply 
building on that existing knowledge.  We have to have a minimum set of 
operators that we feel reasonable certain that people understand.  ?: is 
also not easy to search for, yet we added this ternary shortcut. 
Likewise, <<< is not easy to look up, but we added HEREDOC and more 
recently NOWDOC with this syntax.

PHP is about building on the knowledge and experience of the typical 
target user.  This target user changes slowly as we all get older and 
the industry we are in changes and we need to recognize that and adapt 
the language appropriately.  What is appropriate is of course a really 
hard call which is what this is all about.

-Rasmus